Multi-channel lidar scanner optical system using mirror rotation manner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10670702-B2
Application number	US-201515569538-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2015
Priority date	Apr 28, 2015
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) optical system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a first mirror which is disposed to make a predetermined first angle with a horizontal plane and has a first hollow; a light source for outputting a pulse laser from the lower portion of the first mirror; a second mirror which is disposed to make a predetermined second angle with the first mirror so that the pulse laser passes through the first hollow and travels to a measurement target; at least two path control mirrors which reflect the pulse laser so that the path of the pulse laser is formed on a reflective surface of the second mirror; a light receiving lens for receiving, from the lower portion of the first mirror, light which has been reflected through the first mirror.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical system of multi laser imaging detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanner using mirror rotation, the system comprising:
a first mirror configured to form a predetermined first angle with a horizontal surface and having a first hollow hole;
a light source configured to output a pulse laser from a bottom surface of the first mirror;
a second mirror so arranged as to form a predetermined second angle with the first mirror in order to allow the pulse laser to advance to a measurement target by passing through the first hollow hole;
at least two path control mirrors configured to reflect the pulse laser in order to form a light path of the pulse laser using a reflection surface of the second mirror;
a light receiving lens configured to receive, from a bottom surface of the first mirror, a light reflected through the first mirror;
a light detection part configured to convert a light signal received from the light receiving lens to an electric signal; and
a motor configured to arrange between the light receiving lens and the first mirror to rotate the first mirror,
wherein
the at least two path control mirrors comprises a third mirror and a fourth mirror disposed at an upper surface of the first mirror,
the third mirror is configured to horizontally reflect the pulse laser advancing upwards of the first mirror, and
the fourth mirror is configured to reflect the light reflected through the third mirror to a reflection surface of the second mirror.

2. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the motor is configured to drive the first mirror at 360°.

3. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein
the light source is configured to output the pulse laser to a direction parallel with the horizontal surface, and
the at least two path control mirrors further includes a fifth mirror configured to dispose at a bottom surface of the first mirror to advance the pulse laser to a reflection surface of the third mirror by reflecting, to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal surface, the pulse laser advancing to a direction parallel with the horizontal surface.

4. The optical system of claim 1 , further comprising a collimation lens configured to increase directivity of the pulse laser outputted from the light source.

5. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the motor includes a second hollow hole configured to allow the light reflected through the first mirror to advance to the light receiving lens.

6. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined second angle formed by the first mirror and the second mirror is a right angle (90°).

7. The optical system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to determine a scan period or a scan angle of the measurement target.

8. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the second mirror is configured to pass through the first hollow hole of the first mirror, and the reflection surface of the second mirror is configured to be realized in the shape of facing the path control mirror lastly reflecting the pulse laser among the at least two path control mirrors, and facing the measurement target.

9. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the first mirror includes the first hollow hole, the first hollow hole being realized in the shape of an ellipse, a square, or a circle, each closed at an outside surface, or an ellipse, a square, a circle, each partially opened at the outside surface.

10. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a multichannel light source configured to output at least two pulse lasers corresponding to mutually different channels, and further includes a control mirror configured to control a light path of the at least two pulse lasers by reflecting the at least two pulse lasers.

11. The optical system of claim 10 , wherein the control mirror includes a plurality of reflection mirrors configured to individually reflect each of the at least two pulse lasers.

12. The optical system of claim 11 , wherein each angle formed by each of the plurality of reflection mirrors and the horizontal surface is mutually different.

13. The optical system of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined first angle is 45°, the predetermined second angle is 90°, and an angle formed by the plurality of reflection mirror and the horizontal surface is enlarged or reduced depending on expansion of channel of the pulse laser outputted from the multichannel light source or an output angle of at least two pulse lasers.

14. An optical system of multi laser imaging detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanner using mirror rotation, the system comprising:
a first mirror configured to form a predetermined first angle with a horizontal surface;
a light source configured to output a pulse laser from a bottom surface of the first mirror;
a second mirror arranged at an upper end of the first mirror to form a predetermined second angle with the first mirror in order to allow the pulse laser to advance to a measurement target;
at least two path control mirrors configured to reflect the pulse laser in order to form a light path of the pulse laser using a reflection surface of the second mirror;
a light receiving lens configured to receive, from a bottom surface of the first mirror, a light reflected through the first mirror;
a light detection part configured to convert a light signal received from the light receiving lens to an electric signal; and
a motor configured to arrange between the light receiving lens and the first mirror to rotate the first mirror, wherein a bottom end of the second mirror and an upper end of the first mirror are directly connected,
wherein
the at least two path control mirrors comprises a third mirror and a fourth mirror disposed at an upper surface of the first mirror,
the third mirror is configured to horizontally reflect the pulse laser advancing upwards of the first mirror, and
the fourth mirror is configured to reflect the light reflected through the third mirror to a reflection surface of the second mirror.

Assignees

• Korea Electronics Technology

Inventors

• Choi Hyun Yong
• Choi Choul Jun
• Oh Seung Hun
• Cho Hyun Chang

Classifications

• G01S7/4812

  transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path · CPC title

• G01S7/4817 Primary

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G02B26/10

  Scanning systems · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title